


The Architecture of Family

by Chordewa



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-05-19 03:18:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5951794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chordewa/pseuds/Chordewa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of Senju-centric fics, some light-hearted, others...not.</p><p>3. His grief is a quiet thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Tobirama keeps trying to make him cut it.' Teenage Senju siblings talk about hair and girls...sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tobirama is 13. Hashirama is 16. They are perhaps a little too immature, but I wanted to write something lighthearted for a change.

Tobirama keeps trying to make him cut it. "It's too long Anija," the white-haired teenager tells him, frowning, his arms folded over his chest. "One day someone's going to grab hold of it and slit your throat."

"No they won't," Hashirama replies, fighting back a wince when his comb catches on a tangle. He frees the teeth from his locks and starts that section again from the ends. "I'd never let that happen. It's fine."

His younger brother huffs in that way he has that makes him sound just like an old man. "You're being arrogant again. And foolish. You never used to care about the way your hair looked," he says, ushering in cringe-worthy memories of practical haircuts inflicted on him by his father, a bowl, and a blunt kunai. "Just because you've got a _girlfriend_ ," Tobirama says, all of his disapproval for the girl in question packaged neatly into two syllables.

"Shut up," Hashirama says, neglecting to correct him and say that he'd started to care about the way his hair looked the day Madara had called it lame. "She's really nice."

"Mhm. I'm sure you liking her has everything to do with her being 'really nice' and nothing to do with her huge—" Tobirama breaks off, looking almost flustered as he gestures lifting two large, round objects. "You know."

Hashirama stops combing in his hair and attempts to look at him gravely; the fact his mouth is spasming with amusement probably spoils it. "You were looking at my girlfriend's breasts?"

" _No_ ," Tobirama denies immediately and too vehemently for such a gifted shinobi. "I mean, they're not exactly hard to miss…but I wasn't looking at them _intentionally_!" He's definitely flustered now, pale cheeks tinted a light pink.

A mischievous grin spreads over Hashirama's face as he's presented with a rare opportunity to tease his overly-serious brother. "You _were_!" he says gleefully, waving the comb in Tobirama's direction.

"Don't be so stupid, of course I wasn't—"

"Oh yes you were."

"I _wasn't_."

"Were," Hashirama practically sings at him.

"Anija—"

"There's no shame in it: Tobirama likes tits!"

" _Shut up you buffoon!"_   Tobirama practically snarls at him. "You're so ridiculous and irresponsible— _combing your hair_ like some daimyō's wife instead of training—why can't you just act like a shinobi should for a change?"

Hashirama goes silent. Damningly silent. His lower lip protrudes dangerously. "You hurt my feelings Tobirama," he says mournfully, his expression one of abject gloom as he turns away and resumes combing his hair with listless strokes.

He should be immune to his elder brother's theatrics by now; Hashirama's always having people on. Yet, he still feels like the scum of the earth right now. Tobirama sighs. "Sorry. You were being annoying though."

"That's okay, I'm used it," his brother replies in the most woe-is-me tone possible. Tobirama sighs again, louder this time and sits down behind his brother, plucking the comb from his fingers.

"You're just making it worse," he grumbles, running the comb carefully through Hashirama's dark hair. Hashirama looks over his shoulder and gives him a sunny smile.

"Well with your help, what woman could resist me?" he asks with a roguish wink.

"Mhm. I still say you should cut it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure Hashirama's girlfriend is really nice. Just saying.


	2. Sprout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new life is born.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No plot here, just writing exercise.

The first Hokage’s child is born one cool spring evening, and there is a scent of ozone on the air. The beams of Hashirama’s house creak and shudder under the force of the two chakras that do battle within. Mito thrashes atop the bed, yukata askew, hair made wild, demonic rage burning in her eyes. Wooden branches slam down her clawing limbs as her husband clamps his hands over the seal on her stomach, swirls of blood-coloured smoke rising between his fingers which heal over even as they burn. Mito’s face is white as a shroud beneath its sheen of sweat as demon and baby both seek to force their way out of her and into the world.

The midwife had fled in terror and could not be persuaded to return, even after the situation could be said to be under control, so the task falls to Tobirama. He catches the baby as it slides out, keeping his eyes respectfully averted insofar as this is possible. The baby’s skin is slippery, but he’s a fisherman, and used to far more difficult catches. Cutting the cord, he swaddles it in a blanket and whisks it away for cleaning.

‘It’ is in fact a she, a cursory glance reveals as he swabs the baby clean, ignoring her persistent wailing. _Naoko for a girl,_ Hashirama had told him, ages ago, _after Mother_. Once clean, Tobirama swaddles Naoko in a fresh blanket and holds her angry red body against his chest, trying to quiet her hungry cries until Hashirama gives him the all-clear for them to return.

“You’re going to be all right,” he says, even though he knows the screaming infant cannot understand him. Tobirama moves over to the window, the orange rays of the dying sun washing over the pair of them even as Mito’s snarls die down into heaving breaths, the child still fussing in his arms, seemingly unmarked by kyuubi’s chakra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hashirama's mother's name was Naomi, he just replaced _mi_ = beautiful with _ko_ = child.


	3. Negative Spaces.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His grief is a quiet thing.

Absence is louder than presence. The day after they bury Kawarama, Hashirama can't stop hearing his little brother's silences.

Three voices where there should be four. 

The hush that falls over them all when they see an empty place setting at the table.

The house that doesn't creak with his footsteps.

The way Father trails off, mid-word ("Now listen, _Kawa_ \--") when he'd been talking to Tobirama.

Everywhere he turns, there are places where Kawarama should be. Places where he's not. Places where he will never be. Hashirama knows this. It doesn't stop him from seeing Kawarama in the turned backs of distant relatives, or even in his own brothers. In the mornings he wakes up still expecting Itama on one side and Kawarama on the other. He still imagines telling Kawarama things. The reminder that this not possible always comes quickly. It's a heavy, sinking feeling, quiet roaring in his ears until he can't bear it anymore.

That's when Hashirama has to go to the river, to let himself be calmed by the noise of its flow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set after Hashirama's first meeting with Madara, and before his second. If the river is loud, Madara is louder and that's a comfort.


End file.
